County, CVA to Partner on Detention Center Location Study

News Release

2011

Jan26

County, CVA to Partner on Detention Center Location Study

PALM SPRINGS – Riverside County and the Palm Springs Desert Resort Communities Convention and
Visitors Authority (CVA) will partner on commissioning a destination impact study on the proposed
location of the Riverside County Regional Detention Center.

“I am very proud and pleased by the county’s partnership with the CVA and I appreciate their
willingness to work together on this,” said Supervisor John J. Benoit. “Absent an objective
economic study, it is difficult to ascertain the actual impact to tourism in the Coachella Valley
if this detention center is built in the San Gorgonio Pass. I am glad that this work will
help determine the project’s true impact.”

“On behalf of our hospitality industry, we truly appreciate the opportunity to partner with
Riverside County and Supervisor Benoit on conducting an in-depth analysis on the location of the
detention center,” said Kathleen DeRosa, Mayor of Cathedral City and Chair of the CVA’s Joint
Powers Authority Executive Committee (JPA). “The CVA Executive Committee completely supports
a new detention center and wants everyone to have access to all data required to make the right
decision for our community.

“Tourism is a billion dollar industry and the largest employer in the Coachella Valley. We
want to ensure this important economic engine is not negatively impacted,” DeRosa said.

The 200-acre Whitewater site is proposed to be built in close proximity to Interstate 10.
Up to 2,000 detention center beds could be built in the first phase and the site may accommodate
7,200 beds when ultimately built-out. The Riverside County Regional Detention Center proposal
was reviewed and funding approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2007.

The public review period for the project’s Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report closed on
Dec. 13, 2010. At this time, the Riverside County Economic Development Agency is compiling
comments submitted during the extended EIR period. Once that review is completed, EDA may
submit the EIR for final Board of Supervisors approval.